Sinking Spring police chief praises body cameras

Like many local police chiefs, Sinking Spring Chief Lee K. Schweyer figures it's only a matter of time before body cameras become standard issue for police just like their service weapons and flashlights.

After reviewing the quality of video from the three cameras deployed by his department in late March, Schweyer is even more convinced.

Sinking Spring became the first police department in Berks County to buy the cameras for its officers, Schweyer said.

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Schweyer got approval from borough council in the fall to budget $3,600 for three cameras. The price includes a cloud-based video storage system.

The three cameras are not enough for each of the 12 officers, but Schweyer makes sure every patrol unit on duty is equipped with a body camera.

"I'm very happy," Schweyer said. "I'm ecstatic we got them."

Spring Township police also budgeted to buy body cameras this year, but Chief Bryan D. Ross said the vendor that was selected is still adapting its system to meet Pennsylvania guidelines.

Ross said the system was selected because it would integrate with the system that includes wireless download of video from patrol car cameras.

With the deaths of black men in police-related incidents in Ferguson, Mo.; New York; North Charleston, S.C., and Baltimore and elsewhere sparking protests around the country, Berks County District Attorney John T. Adams and several county police chiefs have voiced their support for body cameras.

But they said a lack of funding stands in the way for many departments.

Police Chief William M. Heim said recently that his department could not afford to incur the full cost of buying about 120 cameras to equip patrol officers and replacing the equipment when it breaks.

President Barack Obama has said, however, that federal grants would be made available to help police agencies.

Although Sinking Spring and many other Berks police departments have dashboard-mounted cameras that record all traffic stops, the body cameras provide higher quality video and can pick up things that a dashboard camera cannot.

"The quality of video, even at nighttime, is outstanding," Schweyer said. "The quality is better with the body camera because of its proximity to the officer."

The only drawback, Schweyer said, is state law does not allow the cameras to record inside residences. He hopes the Legislature will amend the state's wiretapping law so video of police encounters with people inside homes during domestic violence responses will be available.

Schweyer said the officers were at first leery of the cameras but have accepted them. The cameras put everyone on notice that their behavior is being monitored, he said.